"They found peace and success internationally, and chose to come back and shine a light on their homes, and use their personal profiles to raise their communities." Seasoned talent manager George Issaias with some eagle-eyed insight on how internationally-recognised African artists are giving back to the continent from whence they came.

The death of longtime Cuban ruler Fidel Castro last month led to tributes for the larger-than-life revolutionary leader from all over the world. In Africa, from the African Union's headquarters in Addis Ababa to Harare and Pretoria, leaders praised Castro’s contribution to anti-colonial struggles on the continent.

Lagos-based poet and mental health specialist Dami Ajayi writes about Yaba Left and the journey of a disused railway building from being an asylum in the 1900s to becoming one of the biggest psychiatric hospitals in Nigeria today. He considers the scourge of mental illness in Lagos and the disparities between the perception of mental illness by mental health professionals and members of society at large.

There are elements of hip-hop that can be used to advance civic engagement and validate black lives. Tiisetso Tlelima attended the seventh edition of Black Portraitures, a trans-Atlantic indaba, and discovered more about the place held by hip-hop in the civil rights struggle of black people.

The sex toy trade is flourishing across South Africa as couples are increasingly relaxed with the idea of buying adult toys. The negative social stigmas around the adult toy industry seem to be slowly crumbling. Désir a luxury sex toy e-commerce store is recording month-on-month increases in the sales of couples’ sex toys, and the company says the sale of sex toys is now evenly balanced between both sexes, as the subject becomes more acceptable.

In much of Africa, HIV is no longer the medieval plague it used to be. Which is not to say the virus still doesn’t pose a significant threat to the continent’s future. HIV is a wily fiend and our hard-earned gains can be quickly eroded if complacency slips in. Thankfully, as Kenyan HIV activist Jacqueline Wambui explains to Dr. Diana Wangari in this interview, science is helping keep the virus at bay by giving women greater control in the bedroom than they've traditionally had.

Violence of any kind is damaging. But violence in the home is doubly so since it should be a place filled with love and understanding – not fear and resentment. The ones who suffer the most are the children, as James narrates.

Break ups are hard; especially if you did everything you could in the relationship. This is doubly difficult for guys, who don’t know what to do with the negative emotion welling up inside. Is there a way past the pain?

“He did it in a classroom, the staff room and in his house”.
12-year-old Mary and 13-year-old Mercy (not their real names) were sexually abused by a deputy head teacher on numerous occasions and on diverse dates. He assaulted them in different places in and around their school. During the investigation, it also emerged that the teacher had been transferred from another school due to committing the same violations. He was a serial rapist. Period.

The position of the aide has allowed politicians to dispense political favours to friends, fans and relatives, but surely there is a limit to the number of aides one politician can have, writes Anne Mucheke.

Doomsday clock, a magazine founded by the people who built the atomic bomb, say we will probably edge closer to annihilation when Donald Trump takes over as president. The danger is not just because of nuclear weapons, but climate change as well. In a letter to African leaders, Mukoma wa Ngugi argues that Africa can offer the world an alternative dream of peaceful and clean-energy egalitarian societies.

Humanity is facing its biggest challenges ever. More, not less, international cooperation is urgently needed. African nations could set an example for the world by sticking with the International Criminal Court.

Besides the United States, Zimbabwe is the only other country that uses the US dollar as its primary currency. But a new currency known as “bond notes” might be on the way to correct this anomaly, writes Kudzayi Zvinavashe.

In much of Africa, HIV is no longer the medieval plague it used to be. Which is not to say the virus still doesn’t pose a significant threat to the continent’s future. HIV is a wily fiend and our hard-earned gains can be quickly eroded if complacency slips in. Thankfully, as Kenyan HIV activist Jacqueline Wambui explains to Dr. Diana Wangari in this interview, science is helping keep the virus at bay by giving women greater control in the bedroom than they've traditionally had.

Egyptian human rights advocate, Yara Sallam, stood up to be counted when Egypt's revolution was in full tilt and paid the price for it: fifteen months in prison. The prison spell did nothing to diminish her resolve and since her release last year, the outspoken activist has shown no signs of backing down from the fight to ensure that the powers that be uphold the human rights of every Egyptian. This Is Africa's Nancy Onyango caught up with Sallam on the sidelines of the recently concluded Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) forum in Brazil. She opened up about why some North Africans don't feel "African," her experience behind bars and why she thinks Egypt's revolution is far from over.

Amina Doherty is an African-Caribbean feminist and women’s rights advocate. Her work is centered on raising awareness for social justice through movement-building and innovative approaches to philanthropy. Her work takes many forms: art exhibitions, community programmes, cultural events and grant-making initiatives. She is committed to promoting justice and working towards social change through the intersection of art, culture and activism. Nancy Onyango caught up with her on the sidelines of the Black Feminisms Forum (BFF), held in Bahia, Brazil in September 2016 ahead of the 13th Association for Women’s Rights in Development forum. They talked about what it means to be a feminist, collective self-care and the importance of listening to each other’s struggles.

Since the rise of Boko Haram, the media have painted a picture of Borno State in Nigeria as a place of death and destruction. Photojournalist Fati Abubakar, however, is using social media to challenge perceptions about her hometown. In ‘Bits of Borno’, her acclaimed online photo series, she documents the resilience of ordinary people in difficult times. Enajite Efemuaye caught up with her to talk about the power of visual storytelling, her love for photographing children and what media attention means for her work.

In July 2016, Lidudumalingani became the first male South African writer to win the Caine Prize for African Writing with his story ‘Memories we Lost,’ published in the anthology Incredible Journey: Stories That Move You. Lidudumalingani is described on the Caine Prize website as a writer, filmmaker and photographer, born in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, in a village called Zikhovane. His winning story is set in a rural area and deals with schizophrenia. TIA’s Bwesigye Bwa Mwesigire caught up with Lidudumalingani to talk about the Caine Prize, writing female characters, multi-media storytelling and the decolonisation of South African literature.

“He did it in a classroom, the staff room and in his house”.
12-year-old Mary and 13-year-old Mercy (not their real names) were sexually abused by a deputy head teacher on numerous occasions and on diverse dates. He assaulted them in different places in and around their school. During the investigation, it also emerged that the teacher had been transferred from another school due to committing the same violations. He was a serial rapist. Period.

2016 has had numerous surprises, one being the shocking defeat of The Gambian President Yahya Jammeh in the country’s presidential election by property developer Adama Barrow. Jammeh has been in office for the past 22 years, and few people would have predicted a Jammeh loss, let alone the Gambian leader conceding defeat with a smile on his face, and pledging to oversee a smooth transition. Despite the grand gesture by Jammeh conceding defeat, it’s even more surprising that African leaders who took to social media to congratulate U.S. President-elect Donald Trump have been conspicuously silent in congratulating opposition leader Barrow. Could President-elect Barrow’s win be causing some jitters?

Today Tanzania celebrates its independence, attained on this day in 1961. We commemorate the 55th anniversary of the independence of Tanzania from British colonial rule. Happy Independence Day to our Tanzanian brothers and sisters.

The 5th Uganda Press Photo Awards were held last month to showcase and honour the work of talented Ugandan photographers. The awards are organised by the Foreign Correspondents Association of Uganda, and they are divided into seven categories: creative, daily life, nature, portrait, news, sport and story. Today we publish John Batanudde’s stunning photograph, voted the top image in the Sport Category, and the finalists of the section.

Talented Nigerian musician, Wizkid is in contention for a Grammy award for his role in U.S. rapper Drake’s 2016 album, Views, nominated for Best Album. Wizkid is the only Nigerian in contention for an award at the 59th Grammy’s. Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a celebrated South African band received a nomination (Best World Music Album) for their album Walking In The Footsteps Of Our Fathers, and South African born fortepianist Kristian Bezuidenhout is also up for an award. A hearty congratulations.

The 5th Uganda Press Photo Awards were held last month, to showcase and honour the work of talented Ugandan photographers. The awards are organised by the Foreign Correspondents Association of Uganda, and they are divided into seven categories: creative, daily life, nature, portrait, news, sport and story. Today we publish Oscar Ntege’s beautiful and imaginative photograph, voted the top image in the Creative Category.

How women are being used as the front line soldiers in the war against HIV and sexual immorality

By
Kagure Mugo on January 28, 2016 — The Aids epidemic on the continent is undeniably something that needs serious attention. There are many ways that stemming the spread of Aids can happen but stopping women from wearing miniskirts and making sure they are virgins is not one of them.

The key stipulation to being awarded a university bursary is being, and remaining, a virgin throughout your undergraduate degree. This is one of the initiatives being used to combat the high prevalence of HIV Aids in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. In uThukela District Municipality matriculants (high school leavers) are being offered Maiden Bursary Awards, and part of the interview process involves having to undergo virginity testing. The other stipulation is that successful candidates must continuously undergo testing at various times for the duration of their undergraduate degree in order to make sure they remain virgins.

According to this piece by Jennifer Thorpe, virginity testing entails examining the girl’s hymen in order to establish that she is still a virgin. A ‘non-virgin’ verdict can have an array of consequences including honour killing, abuse, isolation, financial penalty, family shame, and poor marriage prospects. In this case it can lead to you not getting an education as high tuition fees are often a barrier to entry to tertiary institutions.

It is alleged that 16 bursaries were awarded to girls who had undergone the testing and ‘passed’.

Unfortunately for any girl who has ever worn a tampon, or ever been on a bicycle, or maybe even just sat down too fast and hard, they most likely wouldn’t pass because all these activities can break the hymen. So sorry, no bursary for you.

HIV virus. Photo: iStockphoto

The problem with these initiatives is that they continuously identify women as the core problem in the spread of HIV/Aids. If women are not having sex or promoting sex then HIV Aids will somehow stop its reign of terror. This logic is flawed on one major level, it puts the onus (and thus blame) squarely on women ignoring the fact that there are two partners in any sexual interaction.

The Aids epidemic on the continent is undeniably something that needs serious attention. There are many ways that stemming the spread of Aids can happen but stopping women from wearing miniskirts and making sure they are virgins is not one of them.
Both these and many other initiatives fail because they strip all responsibility from men. It is the same thinking which says men are ‘stolen’ by women. The same thinking that supports rape culture and victim blaming because it is rooted in the idea that women are ‘asking for it’ when they look a certain way, behave a certain way or breathe too loudly.

These initiatives do not take into account the reality of women who are sexually assaulted even when they are in long jeans and jackets. And initiatives like the ‘virgin bursaries’ do not take into account that a confirmation of virginal status can have dire consequences such as rape by HIV infected men who believe sex with a virgin will cure them.

HIV testing. Photo: Anpei

The way forward here is not to continuously place all the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of women, but rather to educate both parties about safe sex. If the key part of your HIV prevention strategy is abstinence then make it a mutual thing. HIV will not stop simply because women are not having sex – men must not have sex either. If one is to ‘test’ for virginity then it must be done for both partners. If safe sex is going to be the focus then both parties should be educated and held accountable. No matter what the initiative, it must, like sex, make sure that it involves both parties.

Solving half of the problem (or none of it if the solution is to discriminate against women) will not lead to long lasting results. This burden cannot continue to fall to women. Of the 25.8 million people living with Aids in the world 70% live in sub Saharan Africa and in 2014 we accounted for 66% of the world’s deaths.

The idea that women must be the ones to be the source of sexual control means that we must also take the blame when things go wrong, which is ludicrous. It also allows men to continue to be sexual predators.

Your writing on TIA

Search Opinion

Now in African Identity

“They found peace and success internationally, and chose to come back and shine a light on their homes, and use their personal profiles to raise their communities.” Seasoned talent manager George Issaias with some eagle-eyed insight on how internationally-recognised African artists are giving back to the continent from whence they came.

The death of longtime Cuban ruler Fidel Castro last month led to tributes for the larger-than-life revolutionary leader from all over the world. In Africa, from the African Union’s headquarters in Addis Ababa to Harare and Pretoria, leaders praised Castro’s contribution to anti-colonial struggles on the continent.

Lagos-based poet and mental health specialist Dami Ajayi writes about Yaba Left and the journey of a disused railway building from being an asylum in the 1900s to becoming one of the biggest psychiatric hospitals in Nigeria today. He considers the scourge of mental illness in Lagos and the disparities between the perception of mental illness by mental health professionals and members of society at large.

Now in Sex & Relationships

The sex toy trade is flourishing across South Africa as couples are increasingly relaxed with the idea of buying adult toys. The negative social stigmas around the adult toy industry seem to be slowly crumbling. Désir a luxury sex toy e-commerce store is recording month-on-month increases in the sales of couples’ sex toys, and the company says the sale of sex toys is now evenly balanced between both sexes, as the subject becomes more acceptable.

In much of Africa, HIV is no longer the medieval plague it used to be. Which is not to say the virus still doesn’t pose a significant threat to the continent’s future. HIV is a wily fiend and our hard-earned gains can be quickly eroded if complacency slips in. Thankfully, as Kenyan HIV activist Jacqueline Wambui explains to Dr. Diana Wangari in this interview, science is helping keep the virus at bay by giving women greater control in the bedroom than they’ve traditionally had.

12-year-old Mary and 13-year-old Mercy (not their real names) were sexually abused by a deputy head teacher on numerous occasions and on diverse dates. He assaulted them in different places in and around their school. During the investigation, it also emerged that the teacher had been transferred from another school due to committing the same violations. He was a serial rapist. Period.

The position of the aide has allowed politicians to dispense political favours to friends, fans and relatives, but surely there is a limit to the number of aides one politician can have, writes Anne Mucheke.

Doomsday clock, a magazine founded by the people who built the atomic bomb, say we will probably edge closer to annihilation when Donald Trump takes over as president. The danger is not just because of nuclear weapons, but climate change as well. In a letter to African leaders, Mukoma wa Ngugi argues that Africa can offer the world an alternative dream of peaceful and clean-energy egalitarian societies.

Now in Interviews

In much of Africa, HIV is no longer the medieval plague it used to be. Which is not to say the virus still doesn’t pose a significant threat to the continent’s future. HIV is a wily fiend and our hard-earned gains can be quickly eroded if complacency slips in. Thankfully, as Kenyan HIV activist Jacqueline Wambui explains to Dr. Diana Wangari in this interview, science is helping keep the virus at bay by giving women greater control in the bedroom than they’ve traditionally had.

Egyptian human rights advocate, Yara Sallam, stood up to be counted when Egypt’s revolution was in full tilt and paid the price for it: fifteen months in prison. The prison spell did nothing to diminish her resolve and since her release last year, the outspoken activist has shown no signs of backing down from the fight to ensure that the powers that be uphold the human rights of every Egyptian. This Is Africa’s Nancy Onyango caught up with Sallam on the sidelines of the recently concluded Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) forum in Brazil. She opened up about why some North Africans don’t feel “African,” her experience behind bars and why she thinks Egypt’s revolution is far from over.

Amina Doherty is an African-Caribbean feminist and women’s rights advocate. Her work is centered on raising awareness for social justice through movement-building and innovative approaches to philanthropy. Her work takes many forms: art exhibitions, community programmes, cultural events and grant-making initiatives. She is committed to promoting justice and working towards social change through the intersection of art, culture and activism. Nancy Onyango caught up with her on the sidelines of the Black Feminisms Forum (BFF), held in Bahia, Brazil in September 2016 ahead of the 13th Association for Women’s Rights in Development forum. They talked about what it means to be a feminist, collective self-care and the importance of listening to each other’s struggles.

12-year-old Mary and 13-year-old Mercy (not their real names) were sexually abused by a deputy head teacher on numerous occasions and on diverse dates. He assaulted them in different places in and around their school. During the investigation, it also emerged that the teacher had been transferred from another school due to committing the same violations. He was a serial rapist. Period.

2016 has had numerous surprises, one being the shocking defeat of The Gambian President Yahya Jammeh in the country’s presidential election by property developer Adama Barrow. Jammeh has been in office for the past 22 years, and few people would have predicted a Jammeh loss, let alone the Gambian leader conceding defeat with a smile on his face, and pledging to oversee a smooth transition. Despite the grand gesture by Jammeh conceding defeat, it’s even more surprising that African leaders who took to social media to congratulate U.S. President-elect Donald Trump have been conspicuously silent in congratulating opposition leader Barrow. Could President-elect Barrow’s win be causing some jitters?

Today Tanzania celebrates its independence, attained on this day in 1961. We commemorate the 55th anniversary of the independence of Tanzania from British colonial rule. Happy Independence Day to our Tanzanian brothers and sisters.

Now in WTF

A Nigerian woman Miriam Shehu found out last weekend via Instagram that the man she had been engaged to for three years, Taiwo, had gotten married. She told the story Wednesday morning on Twitter and the drama that followed led to a worldwide trending topic.

The Kenya Film Classification Board has seen fit to step in and ban a networking event, despite the fact that they are seriously overstepping their mandate. Rest assured, heteronormative wife-swappers and swingers, Ezekiel Mutua is here to save the day.

Now in Arts

“They found peace and success internationally, and chose to come back and shine a light on their homes, and use their personal profiles to raise their communities.” Seasoned talent manager George Issaias with some eagle-eyed insight on how internationally-recognised African artists are giving back to the continent from whence they came.

Following the Pan-African writers’ collective Jalada Africa’s translation of “The Upright Revolution: Or Why Humans Walk Upright” by Ngugu wa Thiong’o, described as ‘the single most translated short story in the history of African writing’, they hosted an event with the author in Nairobi, focusing on literature in African languages, among other things. Oduor Jagero was there and examines what it means to write in African languages today.

Just a stone throw away from the cosmopolitan suburb of Sandton City in Johannesburg, the township of Alexandra is still home to some of the poorest families. Despite this, Alex, as it is more commonly known, has a rich history that dates back more than 100 years.